Thursday 9/27 ~ Oppression is a good thing?

On September 27, 2018September 27, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, emptiness, Enemies, healing, Loss, persecution, problems, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 27 (9/27), is Nehemiah 9:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“So you handed them over to their enemies who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed, they cried out to you. From heaven, you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.”

What was going on here? The Jews had started worshipping false gods, putting some of their altars in the temple of God, and even offering their children as sacrifices to the fire god. Jehovah God let their enemies take them captive until they stopped their horrible practices and started praying only to the one true God. Then he rescued them those enemies.

Do you know anyone who could care less about God? The only exception is when they feel oppressed by something or someone in their life? More than likely, they blame God because Satan has convinced them he does not exist and therefore did not cause their problems.

Wait! Don’t be so hard on your friends. That can be a good thing. Perhaps they hadn’t given God a second thought since their last calamity. But now they’re thinking about him. They may be angry at God, but at least they’re thinking about him. Now is your chance to approach a broken, desperate, but softened spirit.

Let us thank God for times of oppression. Sometimes that is what it takes for God to get their attention. Then perhaps God can show them he wants to be their friend.

It took a star for wise man Michel’s pagan colleagues to find Jesus and turn to the only true God. Read this novel of what might have been. BUY NOW: click one of the pictures or paste this: https://amzn.to/2N3W6Tr

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Sunday 9/23 ~ Are you a coward?

On September 23, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, discouragement, Enemies, eternity, Heaven, Saved from hell, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 23 (9/23), is Luke 9:23 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

” Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’ “

There is another verse similar to this: II Timothy 3:12 ~ “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Have you been playing it safe? Have you been associating only with other Christians and thereby sheltering yourself from persecution? Have you been withholding the gospel from people who might be persecuted if they believe, even if they will be saved by following it?

I know a Christian convert in Afghanistan who keeps telling his Muslim friends about Jesus and his life has been threatened three times now over a period of six years. He says, “I will not stop until they kill me.” I know a Christian convert in Iraq whose wife’s relatives beat up because he became a Christian. I know a Christian convert in another part of Iraq whose mother-in-law locked her in a room and beat her every day, trying to get her to return to Islam.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). To do that, you must seek out the lost and try to save them, even when they do not think they are lost. It will end in persecution sometimes ~ you, them, or both. That’s a fact.

Dare to not play it safe all the time. Or are you a coward?

Read about Stephen, the first Christian martyr and how his earlier life may have been in order to make him the bravest of the brave. Biblical historical novel. Click either image or type this: https://amzn.to/2zpCENg

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Saturday 9/8 ~ Governments and Martyrdoms

On September 8, 2018September 8, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, discouragement, Enemies, governments, Inspirational, power, prayer, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 8, is Daniel 9:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“O Lord, we and our kings, our princes, and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.”

Daniel was what some might call the prime minister of Babylon. He was part of the government. Before that, he was of the royal house of the Jews in Jerusalem. He was part of the government there too. Both governments needed prayer. Have you prayed for your government lately? I Timothy 2:1 & 2 says “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone ~ for kings and all those in authority.”

At the time of this writing, Nero Caesar. The first-century historian Tacitus said this about Nero in his Annals 15:44: “But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called “Christians” by the populace.

“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular.

“Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.”

If the Apostle Paul could pray for such a government leader, can’t you follow his instructions? Why don’t you stop and pray for your own government right now?

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Wednesday 8/15 ~ Be brave and rest in God

On August 15, 2018 By In faith, Inspirational, power, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, August 15 (8/15), is Romans 8:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”

I knew someone a long time ago who went through a period of being afraid of everything, something she just could not control. Then she found this scripture and applied it to all her fears. She had read it many times before, but this time was able to apply it to her constant fear. She thought to herself, “Stop being afraid! You are a child of God! He is right there with you. Be brave now. And rest in God.”

Are there times in your life when you are a slave to fear? Perhaps it is fear of the dark. Or fear of losing health. Or fear of strangers. Or of a certain nationality. Or of losing a job or home. Or of losing a loved one.

Stop being afraid! God is right there with you. Be brave. And rest in God.

~~Click here to buy book about martyred Stephen’s journey from fear to courage

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Monday 8/13 ~ Where is the Lord Almighty in my list of gods?

On August 13, 2018 By In Daily, ego, things, weakness, worship2 Comments

The scripture for today, August 13 (8/13), is Isaiah 8:13f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.”

“Holy” in both the Hebrew and Greek means someone or something set apart as very special. Who or what do you daily set apart as someone or something special? Do you in a sense “worship” that person or thing? Whoever or whatever you worship, you become a slave to. Are you a “slave” to anything in your life? Is there something you cannot control because it controls you? Are you a slave to attention or food or money or power or clothes or houses or cars or etc?

Then, when there is a tragedy in your life, can you rely on those things to get you through? Who or what will be your sanctuary in times of trouble? Will you be able to say, “The Lord Almighty…he will be my sanctuary” even though he is not a sanctuary to people who have put him at the bottom of their list? Where is the Lord Almighty in your list of gods?

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Thursday 8/2 ~ And he touched him

On August 2, 2018 By In discouragement, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, love, sin, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, August 2 (8/2), is Matthew 8:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.’ “

People in Jesus’ day who had leprosy had to live outside of town in what we would call a leper colony. And if someone without leprosy started getting close to them, they were required to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!”

But here was a man who apparently pushed his way through a crowd where he didn’t belong. He didn’t ask Jesus if he could heal him; he asked if he was willing to. After all, he was “unclean”. Remarkably, Jesus said yes.

Then Jesus did another remarkable thing: He touched the man. He touched the leprosy. Not only was he willing to be seen with an unclean man, he was willing to touch him.

Jesus still does this today. When we come to him with a diseased heart wondering if we are good enough, Jesus reaches out across the centuries and touches us. And his voice echoes across the centuries and says, “I am willing.”

No matter how much sin mars your life, Jesus still today wants to say, “Be clean.”

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Friday 7/27 ~ Lead the way

On July 27, 2018 By In discouragement, emptiness, Inspirational, Loss, problems, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 27 (7/27), is Luke 7:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ “

“The way” could also be considered “the path” or “the road”. To prepare “the way” would be to straighten out the curves temporarily leading in the wrong direction, or clear out the stumbling rocks, or fill in the jarring ruts made when it rains.

You can prepare “the way” ahead of crises for your loved ones by example, by being a true friend, by prayer, by sharing the Word of God. You can also prepare “the way” for yourself. We all have our ups and downs. You know yourself better than anyone. You know best what you need to hear when you are down in order to lift you back up. Write yourself a letter. Tell yourself what you need to hear. Then put your letter away in preparation for one of your down times.

Life is hard. Are you always preparing “the way” for people you know? Have you prepared the way for yourself?

Today, sit down and write yourself that letter. Then think of someone else for whom you can begin to prepare “the way”.

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Thursday 7/19 ~ Bad habits ‘n stuff

On July 19, 2018 By In attitude, Daily, ego, forgiveness, healing, prayer, sin, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 19 (7/19), is found in Romans 7:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

“For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do ~ this I keep on doing.”

Doesn’t this pretty much describe all of us in some area of our life? It may be eating too much, breaking the law by going over the speed limit, laughing at dirty jokes, habitual lying, stealing “little things” at work, cheating on tests, jealousy, impatience, temper ~ any number of things.

Sins of habit and attitude are hard to break. So we go to God over and over asking him to forgive that which, deep down, we know we’re going to do again.

Perhaps this emphasizes the importance of us forgiving others who habitually do wrong to us. We do not know their struggles any more than they know our struggles.

Jesus said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14).

Satan wants us to quit trying to do better. And he wants us to quit forgiving each other. Let us not give in to Satan. Let us give in to God. God’s way leads to ultimate forgiveness by him.

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Friday 7/13 ~ Believe it or not, some day you will smile again

On July 13, 2018 By In discouragement, emptiness, patience, problems, weakness, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for July 13 is in Job 7:13ff in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.”

Job was extremely depressed. It happens to everyone sometimes. His depression was certainly valid ~ he had lost all his income and all his children in a recent storm. Now he had what the Bible translated as “boils” but the symptoms indicate he had a form of leprosy. This particular form leads to nightmares in addition to the physical problems. Job had every right to be depressed. So depressed was he, that he no longer wanted to live, for his life no longer had meaning.

But, as miserable as Job was, he hung on. Patiently he hung on during the bad times. Sometimes during our bad times, the greatest thing we can do is “hang on” ~ be patient.

Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. Job loved the Lord. Even in his misery and desire to die, he continued to love God and trust Him.

And although at such times you may believe your misery will never end, you may believe you will never even smile again, it will happen. The misery comes to an end. It did for Job. He got his health and wealth back and more children to comfort him. God will see you through too.

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Tuesday 7/10 ~ Do you ever use God’s shield?

On July 10, 2018July 15, 2025 By In discouragement, patience, power, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 10, is Psalm 7:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.”

You wouldn’t need a shield if everything on earth was good. God gave you free will to love him or not, to follow him or not. He did not want robots to love and follow him, for that is not true love or true commitment.

And so you have your assignment in life: To be strong in the Lord when others want to tear you away from him. Be an example of those who choose to follow Jesus in order to escape from this world into his world.

So, when sometimes things get too difficult for you, God stands ready to shield you while you rest.

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